Shalom Bayit Workshop Teaches Middle School Students the Importance of Healthy Relationships

Over the past few years, Brandeis has hosted Zephira Derblich-Milea, youth program coordinator for Shalom Bayit—an organization that promotes healthy homes and families—to work with middle school students about age-appropriate relationships. This week Ms. Derblich-Milea led our sixth and seventh grade students (eighth graders will participate in the spring) in the workshop Love Shouldn’t Hurt, a Jewish-values based curriculum that teaches students to advocate for themselves in different types of relationships. Ms. Derblich-Milea started each workshop by introducing Jewish quotes related to how people should treat one another. The sessions were then spent discussing healthy boundaries and responsibilities, and students were provided with the knowledge and tools they need in order to make healthy relationship choices.

 

Says Judaic studies teacher Jody Bloom, “We are so excited to have had Zephira back with our middle schoolers. The students were so enthralled by the sessions that they chose to spend lunch and recess with Zephira sharing stories and asking questions.” Adds a seventh grader on the importance of this program, “Last year we learned how to be a rodef shalom (pursuer of peace) and learned that in order to help others we must first help ourselves as an ohev shalom (a lover of peace).”